Building Safety Communications Manager

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Building Safety Communications Manager, Liverpool

Client:

Riverside

Location:

Liverpool, United Kingdom

Job Category:

Other

EU work permit required:

Yes

Job Reference:

a598d9847e3b

Job Views:

4

Posted:

18.04.2025

Expiry Date:

02.06.2025

Job Description:

Job Title: Building Safety Communications Manager
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: £49,173 (£54,349 is achieved after 12 months successful performance in the role)
Working Hours: 35 hours per week
Working Pattern: Hybrid
Location: London / Liverpool

If you share our values and are excited about making a significant impact at Riverside, please ensure you attach a current CV and covering letter. At Riverside we recruit to potential not just on skills and experience, so we encourage you to apply even if you don't meet all the essential criteria on the job description.

The difference you will make as Building Safety Communications Manager

Reporting to the Head of Customer Communications and Regulations, the Building Safety Communications Manager will support the development and implementation of our strategic approach to Building Safety communication. The postholder will lead the Building Safety Communications Team ensuring that Riverside is delivering a high quality, professional, customer-focused communication service to our residents ensuring full compliance with all regulatory obligations and in line with the communication strategy for the remediation of residential buildings.

The BSCM will be responsible for supporting the team to ensure delivery of a positive customer experience by managing all customer and colleague enquiries, feedback from our stakeholders and all proactive communication and reactive communication around service delivery for all building safety activity. They will also support the Head of Customer Communications and Regulations in strategic meetings with the Leadership Team and the wider Strategy and Communications department.

The postholder will be required to be agile and flexible with the ability to adapt to changes in legislative regulations and guidelines about building safety and to communicate those back to the wider team and customers. They will provide written updates regarding the changes to legislations, government announcements and industry actions, ensuring these are in a timely and resident-friendly manner that explains the potential impact these changes may have on residents.

About you

We are looking for someone with:

• Experience of management within a corporate communications environment.
• Previous experience working within building safety in the housing industry (cladding remediation works experience is ideal).
• Customer focused with excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work at all levels within the business.
• Experience of working and collaborating with senior stakeholders.
• Ability to influence external stakeholders and internal customers.
• A proven track record of delivery in a demanding and fast-paced environment.
• Exhibit strong leadership and management skills.

Why Riverside?

At Riverside, we’re a housing association with a difference – enhancing the everyday for all our customers. For 90 years, we’ve been revitalising neighbourhoods and supporting communities by providing the homes they need to live full, fulfilling and rewarding lives.

We have a portfolio of over 75,000 affordable residential and retirement homes across the UK. Our work ranges from homelessness services to social care, employment support to retirement living, and we need the best people on board to help us.

Working with us, you’ll enjoy:

• Flexible working options available
• Investment in your learning, personal development and technology
• A wide range of benefits

Diversity and Inclusion at Riverside:

We are inclusive. At Riverside, we value diversity in all its forms. We foster a workplace where all individuals are respected, empowered, and heard. Our commitment to inclusivity drives our success and enriches the lives of our customers and colleagues.

This role also falls under our Ethnic Diversity guaranteed interview scheme. If you are Ethnically Diverse and demonstrate you meet the minimum criteria for the role you will be guaranteed an interview.

Applications may close before the deadline, so please apply early to avoid disappointment.

Role Profile

Job purpose:

Reporting to the Head of Customer Communications and Regulations, the Building Safety Communications Manager will support the development and implementation of our strategic approach to Building Safety communication. The postholder will lead the Building Safety Communications Team ensuring that Riverside is delivering a high quality, professional, customer-focused communication service to our residents ensuring full compliance with all regulatory obligations and in line with the communication strategy for the remediation of residential buildings.

The BSCM will be responsible for supporting the team to ensure delivery of a positive customer experience by managing all customer and colleague enquiries, feedback from our stakeholders and all proactive communication and reactive communication around service delivery for all building safety activity. They will also support the Head of Customer Communications and Regulations in strategic meetings with the Leadership Team and the wider Strategy and Communications department.

The postholder will be required to be agile and flexible with the ability to adapt to changes in legislative regulations and guidelines about building safety and to communicate those back to the wider team and customers. They will provide written updates regarding the changes to legislations, government announcements and industry actions, ensuring these are in a timely and resident-friendly manner that explains the potential impact these changes may have on residents.

The BSCM role will require the ability to explain technical detail and legal updates in non-technical language and have well-developed influencing and customer engagement skills. The postholder will need to work collaboratively with the External Affairs team to ensure influencing messages on building safety are clearly articulated to political and sector stakeholders.

Role requires you to:

• Manage a team of Building Safety Communication Officers to implement a high-quality communications service within the wider strategy and communication department.
• Support the wider Customer Communications & Regulation team to proactively communicate with customers and colleagues relating to service delivery, building safety & compliance and reactive communications relating to service failure, incident management etc.
• Manage internal communication between teams including with the CEO regarding building safety matters.
• Lead on Members Enquiries and Stage 1 Complaints for cladding related issues.
• Take responsibility for external communication regarding cladding/building safety matters, including keeping our FAQ page updated on building safety news and information.
• Ensure residents and leaseholders remain updated on cladding related issues as per agreed communication plans and strategy.
• Contribute to several internal and external strategic and cross-departmental working groups, including the Building Safety Task and Finish Group and Cladding – Resident Engagement Subgroup, as required. Keep abreast of upcoming changes that might impact the organisation and customers, including outcomes of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phases 1 and 2 and Housing Ombudsman reports.
• Proactively identify any areas of reputational risk and escalate with the Head of Customer Communications & Regulation, the Head of External Affairs and the Director of Strategy and Communications.
• Ensure good record keeping within the team for the purpose of resilience and to be able to provide evidence to support any complaint investigation.
• Support any Housing Ombudsman investigation and organise lessons learned when and if required.
• Monitor communications performance and develop individual targets to ensure that communications campaigns and letters are successful, with high engagement rates.
• Review the quality of customer responses and engagement, provide feedback to colleagues and develop lessons learned to feed into assurance and governance reporting.
• Prepare high level and tailored written correspondence to residents and stakeholders, providing update on legal proceedings and status of cladding remediation works.
• Adherence to GDPR and high-level data management.
• Escalate any serious incidents/issues as per company policy.

People and Management

• To lead and manage the Building Safety Communications Team, mentoring and coaching them to provide a high quality, customer-focused service to all stakeholders.
• To provide direction and support to your team by setting improvement targets, reviewing work outputs, and appraising individual performance.
• To inspire and engage with all colleagues within Corporate Services to create a working environment which influences effective wellbeing, performance and development.
• Champion a performance culture and continuously evaluate the performance and development of your team.
• To undertake all areas of People Management administration associated with managing a team.
• To conduct regular needs assessment of the team’s offering to ensure the team is responding to the changing needs of the organisation.
• Ensuring team structures are resourced with competent colleagues to support delivery of best working practices.
• Champion a culture of promoting and supporting colleague wellbeing.
• Champion creating a culture of inclusion, diversity and equality where every colleague is able to bring their whole self to work.
• Support and enable colleagues within your team’s and the wider directorate to participate and fulfil their obligations in the Our Riverside Voice Forum.

Person specification

Essential

• Experience of management within a corporate communications environment.
• Previous experience working within building safety in the housing industry (cladding remediation works experience is ideal).
• Customer focused with excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work at all levels within the business.
• Experience of working and collaborating with senior stakeholders.
• Ability to influence external stakeholders and internal customers.
• A proven track record of delivery in a demanding and fast-paced environment.
• Exhibit strong leadership and management skills.
• Ability to coach the team effectively and to empower and enable them to undertake their roles.
• Ensure Building Safety Communication team members attend regular training to maintain a high level of knowledge.
• Excellent attention to detail.

Desirable

• Strong knowledge and understanding of using CRM to deal with enquiries and complaints.
• Strong knowledge of the Building Safety Act 2022, Fire Safety Act 2021 and Government Code of Practice for Works in Residential Buildings.
• Ability to review and interpret legislation and regulations.
• Extensive experience of the management of complex and sensitive issues.